Draft of SCLC 1964 Annual Report

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Abstract

This is a draft of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference 1964 Annual Report. The document outlines developments that occurred in pursuits such as voter registration and Operation Breadbasket. The piece concludes with commentary on the future of the organization, specifically "deeper involvement in political action."

Transcript

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not get into step will find the parade has passed them.
Finally, the Negro knows he is right. He has not closed ranks. He has not organized for conquest to gain spoils or to enslave those who have injured him. His goal is not to capture what belongs to someone else-he merely wants and will have what is honorably his!
I have dealt at some length with the broad perspective of the problems confronting us today. Allow me now to give a cursory view of the work of SCLC [Southern Christian Leadership Conference] during the unfolding events of the past year. I hope you will allow me the privilege of boasting a bit in your behalf
[Page 2] [6]
for I truely [truly] believe that S[outhern]C[hristian]L[eadership]C[onference] was in a large measure responsible for the positive gains of the past few months. S[outhern]C[hristian]L[eadership]C[onference] aroused the conscience of the nation in Birmingham, and set in motion the forces which coalesced to give our nation a comprehensive civil rights bill.
[Underlined: Organizational Growth and Expansion]
S[outhern]C[hristian]L[eadership]C[onference] continues to grow at a rapid pace. Our organizational expansion over the last twelve months has been nothing less than phenomenal. Last year at convention time ive had a total of 85 active affiliates. We have been able to increase that number of affliates to 217. Presently we have affiliates
[Page 3] [7]
in 28 states and the District of Columbia. This great affiliat growth is due almost entirely to the indefatigable work of our direction of affiliates, C.T. Vivian. We all owe C.T. [Vivian] a great debt of gratitude for his tireless and dedicated efforts.
[Underlined: Direct Action]
[Page 4] [11]
[Underlined: Voter Registration]
One of the seldom mentioned developments that has taken place over the last few years has been the phenomenal growth of Negro registration in the south. Negro registration in 11 southern states has nearly doubled since the 1960 presidential election. Negro voters now number more than 2 million compared with 1.1 million four years ago. This increased political strength may well prevent Sen[ator] Goldwater from carrying the south in the coming election.
I am happy to report that SCLC [Southern Christian Leadership Conference] has played a most significant role in making this voter registration leap possible . Uniting with other civil rights organizations in the Voter Education Project, we have worked in communities all across the south. During the past year alone, SCLC [Southern Christian Leadership Conference] was instrumental in aiding local and
[Page 5] [16]
[Underlined: Operation Breadbasket]
One of the most dramatic and creative phases of our program has been the development of what is known as operation breadbasket. This is a program which has as its aim the getting of more and better jobs for the Negro people. The [Crossed out: MS: illegible] success of this program grows out of the fact that the Negro is a key factor in the consuming community and that he now has a collective buying power of almost 30 billion dollars a year. This means that the negro buying dollar can make the difference between profit and loss in almost any industry in our country. So operation breadbasket is a program which calls for support of these businesses that will give a fair share of the jobs and economic withdrawal from those businesses that have discrimination policies. The key word in operation breadbasket is [Underlined: respect]: it says in substance, if you respect Negro dollars you must respect my person. If you respect my quantitative support, then you
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must respect the quality of my job, and my basic material needs. In short, this program says you have a moral obligation to refuse to use your dollars to perpetuate segregation and discrimination.
The most successful southern expression of operation breadbasket has been the job done by our atlanta affiliate under the leadership of Ralph Abernathy, Joseph Greer, Oliver Holmes and others for two numerous to mention a marvelous program has been developed. They have been able to unlock tightly sealed doors of discrimination and make that possible and even easy which a few years ago appeared to be difficult and impossible. In less than two years they have added more than two million dollars to the Atlanta Negroes incomes by securing new and upgraded jobs that have previously been closed to them.
Operation breadbasket is a great program. The need facing us now is to [MS: illegible: bringing?] it to cover all of our affiliates, and indeed lift it to the national arena which will give it added power in grappling with the notorious problem of job inequality.
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[Underlined: What of the Future?]
This in brief, is an account of SCLC's [Southern Christian Leadership Conference] work over the last twelve months. It is a record of which we can all be proud, and one that brings all of us closer to the goal of freedom. But we cannot rest content on the laurels of past achievements Bright yesterday must be transformed into even brighter tomorrow. It is true that [Inserted text: inserted above 'we': by and large] we have left the dusty soils of Egypt and crossed a Red sea where waters had [Inserted text: above 'been': for years] been hardened by a long and piercing winter of [MS: illegible] resistance. But even after leaving Egypt we must face the melanc[h]oly fact that a confusing frustrating, and bewildering wilderness his ahead. Before we reach the majestic shores of the promised land, we must confront prodigious hilltops of opposition and gigantic mountains of injustice. We need a chart, we need a compass indeed, we need some north start to guide us into a future shrouded with impenetrable uncertainties. What are some of the new directions that the movement must take?
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[Inserted text in margin: Political Action C. Aug[ust 1964]
[Inserted text in left margin: This is no way minimizes demonstrations]
[Inserted text: 1st paragraph 2nd sentence above 'our': one of]
[Inserted text: 1st paragraph 2nd sentence above 'needs our': one of]
[Inserted text: 1st paragraph 7th sentence after 'emphasis of the': movement]
[Crossed out: 4th paragraph 1st sentence: Finally,]
[Inserted text: 4th paragraph 1st sentence: Political]
[Crossed out: 5th paragraph from 'However, it has' to 'We have also']
[Inserted text in bottom margin: This move into political action does not mean that we will mortgage the civil rights movement to [MS: illegible] either political party. It is tragic that the Republican party has left us with no alternative but to reject its [MS: illegible] presidential nominee. I cannot see how any Negro self respect and any white persons of goodwill can support Barry Goldwater. But in this rejection we must
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[Inserted text in margin: make it crystal clear that we are not in the hip pocket of the democratic party]
[Crossed out: 1st paragraph]
[Crossed out: 3rd paragraph 2nd sentence: MS: illegible] [Inserted text: We must]
[Crossed out: 3rd paragraph 3nd sentence: MS: illegible] [Inserted text: We must]
[Crossed out: 3rd paragraph 4th sentence: MS: illegible] [Inserted text: We must]
[Page 10]
[Inserted text in bottom margin: KI 9-9996 Ki 9-3300-425-426]
[Page 12]
[Crossed out: 3rd paragraph 2nd sentence after 'the land one': who openly clasped the bloody hand of George Wallace...one]
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[Crossed out: Starting with 'You will recall' ending with 'these struggles': MS: illegible]
[Crossed out: After 'overtaken the Negro' :MS: illegible]
[Crossed out: 2nd paragraph: defeats] [Inserted text: 2nd paragraph above 'defeats. We will': temporary setbacks.]
[Inserted text: 2nd paragraph after'our goal because: we]
[Crossed out: 2nd paragraph: MS: illegible] [Inserted text: 2nd paragraph above 'MS:illegible':us]